Most-Magical Things to Buy in Hogsmeade (and Some to Avoid)

ORLANDO, Florida — The Wizarding World of Harry Potter brims with exclusive souvenirs and replicas that fans will recognize from the books and films. Some of them are awesome, but others aren’t worth a single Galleon.

The hamlet of Hogsmeade, which sits in the shadow of Hogwarts castle at the new theme park attraction, is home to a host of little shops pulled straight from J.K. Rowling’s books. There’s a joke shop called Zonko’s, where you can buy wizarding pranks like Inflatable Tongues and Sneakoscopes. At Dervish and Banges, you can load up on magic wands, school supplies and Quidditch gear. And at Honeydukes candy shop, real-world versions of Rowling’s fantastic confections come to life.

Here are just some of the wallet-busting tchotchkes available at the Universal Studios Orlando attraction, which opens Friday.

Above: Dierdre Marshall, celebrating her 11th birthday at the park’s soft opening Thursday afternoon, gulps a Butterbeer ($2.50). The real-life version of Harry’s favorite drink isn’t alcoholic, but it is quite tasty, with butterscotch and shortbread flavors and a creamy head added on top. Dierdre’s wand came from Ollivander’s shop around the corner, where the Wandkeeper chose her a wand made of “hawthorne.” (Actually, on Rowling’s request, all wands are made of recycled materials.)

Want to play a game of Quidditch in your backyard? First you’ll need a few 100-foot-high goal rings and the ability to fly, but once you’ve got all that, you can buy a complete set of three balls in Dervish and Banges. There’s the foam Quaffle ($20), the Bludger and matching Beater bat ($22), and the winged Golden Snitch ($15). Game on!

Ashley (right) and Danielle Leavens, of New Jersey, fill up a bag with bulk candy at the Honeydukes sweets shop. In addition to more-standard fare, fans can load up on Bertie Botts’ Every Flavour Beans ($3 for a quarter pound), which — true to their name — feature flavors like cheese, onion and fish. But chew with confidence: The version available at the park doesn’t have the truly gross flavors that Jelly Belly created for its original version of the risky wizarding treat, like earwax, booger and vomit.

Ginny Weasley was a big fan of the Pygmy Puffs, adorable chimeras created (possibly in violation of several laws) by her older brothers when they opened their joke shop in Hogsmeade. These versions aren’t alive (thank goodness) but they were flying off the shelves at Zonko’s when we visited ($15 a puff).

Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods, the gift shop attached to the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride, is filled with the most expensive collector’s items in the park, like a set of Triwizard Champion wands for $150 and a wizarding chess set for $400. Our favorite high-end item was this rubber Death Eater mask based on the evil Bellatrix Lestrange character ($100). You’ll notice that this mask was molded to fit the round head of Helena Bonham Carter, who played Lestrange in the films.Photo: Karen Chu/Wired.com

Mark Kelly Olson, 7, of Tennessee gets fitted for a magic wand at Ollivander’s. Just like Harry Potter in the first book, a few visitors at a time are escorted into the shop in small groups. One lucky little one will get to try out a few magic wands to find the perfect fit. Animatronics around the shop react when the customer waves his wand. Mark said his favorite part of the park was the Forbidden Journey ride.

There are some who call this bartender … Tim. Behind the bar at the Hog’s Head, Tim pours frosty adult beverages for parents looking to escape the Orlando heat. One of the beers, Hog’s Head Brew, is exclusive to the park. It’s a malty red Scottish ale, easy to drink and served in a tall plastic pint glass for $6.50.

Fluffy guards Hogwarts‘ most-secret chambers with his three ferocious heads, but a little music will send him into a deep sleep. This slumbering stuffed Fluffy ($25) snores when you push a button on his back.

Bogus Buys

The Marauder’s Map is a relatively authentic replica of a cool Potter prop — in the movies, the magic map shows the movements of every person on the Hogwarts grounds, as well as the locations of all the secret passageways. This version is significantly less magical, but it’s still an extensive blueprint of the school. Only problem is the price — $65 is a whole lot of money for a piece of paper in a chintzy wooden frame.

Remembralls light up red if there’s something you’ve forgotten about. This one turns on a weak red LED if you push a button. We didn’t expect it to actually be magic, but $15 is a bit much for a cheapo piece of plastic that doesn’t do anything. If you have to have something like this, why not a Sneakoscope instead, which works like a light-up top?

There is only one (1) character doll available in any of the Hogsmeade shops, and it’s … Lord Voldemort? What are you going to do with this? Put him in with your Barbie Dream House? Buy two and use them to re-enact your unfinished Voldemort/Voldemort slash lemon fanfiction (above)?